Means for connecting conducting wires to timer-distributors



March 17, 1931. w. HEMINGWAY. JR

MEANS FOR CONNECTING CONDUCTING WIRES TO TIMER DISTRIBUTORS4 Filed Sept. 29, 1927 Patent-led' Mar. l'l, {193,1} Q

' 4 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILSON HEMINGWAYUJR., F PHIIADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 THE ELECTBDLOCK MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF VICKSBURG, MISSISSIPPI, A ICOBIE'G- RAMON' or mssrssxrrr,

mns ma coNNEcrING coNDUc'rING WIRES ro 'rImm,-nrsrlstrnufl:ons

. C Application led September 29,'192'7. Serial No.222,702.

My invention has relation broadly to protective means having for its purpose to prevent the tampering with and theft of autof mobiles.

If More specifically the invention relates to means whereby the electric conductor leading for instance', from the control switch of the ignition system to. the timer or timer-distributor,l may be connected readily to the latter in such manner as to prevent removal thereof and as to prevent tampering with or access thereto.

The general object Aof the invention is to provide the timer-distributor and-the terminal of the conducting wire to be connected therewith', with interlocking means of novel construction which may be readily inter- -loc'ked and. when once lnterlocked may not be disconnected except by destruction thereof.

It-also is an object of the invention to provide a connection of the character indicated `in which the connecting terminal of the conducting wire is providedwith an immovable and inaccessiblefinterlocking means of novel construction which is adapted to be engaged by and interlocked with complemental means carried by the timer or timer-distributor.v

To these and other ends the invention comprehends the construction as hereinafter described in detail, particularly pointed out in the Vclaims and illustrated in the drawing in which I have shown a preferred f ormrof mechanical embodiment thereof.

It will be understood'that the invention is susceptible of embodiment in other forms of construction than that shown andthat changes inthe details of construction' may be made within the scope of the lclaims without departing from the spirit of the invention vor itsA principle.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a view showing a vportion of a timer or timer-distributor in elevation with a portion thereof broken way and in section and also showing the interlocking connecting means in central longitudinal section ;A

Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal I'section of' the terminal connecting portiongof the conducting wire separate from the connpcting" element carried by the timer-distributor shown' in Fig. 1; v

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of F ig.r1;

Fig. 4fl is a similar 4-4 of Fig. 2;

' is a transverse sectional view enlarged 'view taken on the liney F1 -of a fragmentary portion of the interlocking v elements of the connecting means; and

Fig. 6 is a view in enlarged end elevation showing a portion of the locking element carrried by the timer-distributor in the act of be-y i'g inserted between the interlocking elements of the terminal connection of the conducting wire. y l

In the drawing I have shown a portion of a timerfdistributor 1 upon the interior of which is mounted a rod 2 which -projects through a side wall 3 of the said timer-distributor. The rod 2 is insulated from the wall 3 by means of a 'bushing 4. The outer end of the bushing 4 `is enlarged and is surrounded by a anged'thimble 5, the Bange of which is secured to the side wall 3 of the timer-distributor. The rod 2 constitutes an element of the conductor leading to the timerdistributor. The outer end of the rod 2 is provided with a reduced head portion 6 taperedas'indicated at`7 to form a cone shaped portion as shown.

`tween the head Gand they adjoining end of vthe main or body portion of the rod 2.

' The conducting wire 9 which is to be connected with the rod 2 mounted upon the timer-distributor and which may lead from va switch for controlling'the operation of the circuit or circuits of the ignition system is surrounded by a sheathing 10, which in turn is surrounded and protected by a wire coil 11.

The latter is surrounded and protected by a coil 12 of relatively heavy wire. The endsV of these wires are inclosed within and secured to a metal ferrule 15 provided with liared out-A 'i wardly extendinglportions 16 which extend partially around and are secured to a cylindrical tubularmember 17 by means of Welding'or otherwise. The. conducting wire 9 ex; tends through an opening in the side of the tubular member 17 and also through an opening 1`8 in the side of a lining 19 of insulating material mounted within the tubular member 17 and into a groove 20 provided in the side and bottom of a socket member consisting of the parts 21 and 22 united or joined together as will be hereinafter described. One end of the said socket member is open and the. other closed. The open end thereof bears against the inner side of an outwardly extending annular flange 23 formed/upon one end of the lining 19, the said flange being located in adjoining relation to an open end of the metal tubular holder or member 17. The opposite end of the member 17 is closed by means of a cap 25 secured permanently thereto in any suitable manner as by braz'ing, welding or the like. The lining.19 with the said` socket member mounted therein is retained in place within the tubular member 17 by means of ears or lugs 27, projecting over the adjoining end portion of the said lining as )shown in Figs. 1 and 2. At its opposite end, the tubular member 17 is provided with a washer 28 of insulating material and a metal Washer 29against the former of which the adjoining ends of the lining 19 and the sa1d socket member (composed of the parts 21 and 22) contact. The washers |28 and 29 are rei tained in place by ears or lugs 29 (only one of which is shown) which are integral with and project inwardly from the member 17. The end of the wire '9 is secured in the portion of the groove 20 in the bottom ,of the member 21 by means of soldering or otherwise. The last named portion of the groove 20 may be omitted, if desired, and the end of the wire 9 secured by soldering to thelflat end of the member 21.

As already indicated the two parts 21 and 22 are united or combined to form the socket member. The member 21 is provided upon its inner end with an annular external groove 30, the bottom of which is inclined inwardly as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The inner side of the inner end portion of the member-22 is provided with a relatively wide shallow groove or cut-out porti/on 31, the internal diameter of which is substantially equal to the external diameter of the inner end portion' of the member 21 at the inner side of the groove 30. The width of the groove 31 is substantially greater than ythat of the groove 30 as illustrated, so that whenthe twokparts 2l and 22 are assembled, an annular space between the inner end of the member 21 and of the and 36. Each of the parts 35 and 36 1s somewhat less than a semi-circle. Before the parts l22, which constitutes the outer part of the groove 31, is bent or peened inwardly, as indicated at 40, to ei'ect. permanent securing together of the said parts: Alsoprevious to the assembling of the said parts 21 and 22,

a coiled spring 41 is placed in position in the opening of the part 21. The said spring is shown in' Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing. In assembling and connecting the terminal to the end of the conducting wire 9, said end is inserted through the ferrule 15 and through the opening in the side of the member 17 and through the openingv 18 in the side of the member 19 and is thereafter connected to the end of the member 21 of the socket member, as shown. The said socket member is then inserted into the member or lining 19 of insulating material-with its open end against the inner side of the flange 23. The tubular member 17, the lining or bushing 19 therefor and the socket member having been assembled as described, the washers 28 and 29 are then placed in position within tlie outer open end of the member 17 and secured therein by `bending down the ears or projections 29',

after which the said open-end is closed by placing thereover and securing permanently thereto, the cap 25. The terminal having been thus'constructed may be applied to the outer end of the rod 2. Upon insertion of the outer end of the rod 2 into the socket, con'-h sisting of the parts 21 and 22, the head 6 with the tapered end portion 7, enters the opening 45 provided by the (3o-operating comple mental curved members 35 and 36, the diameter of which'in one direction is less than the diameter of the groove 31 within the part 22. In its passage between the parts 35 and. 36, the head 6 expands or separates the said parts -in opposition to the tension of the spring 37,

as indicated in Fig. 6 of the drawing, but

after it has passed entirely through or be yond the said parts, they are returned to their normal position in contact with each other as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawing by the contraction of the said spring.

V After the parts 35 and 36 have been thus re-v turned to normal position, after the insertion of the head between andbeyond the same, it is impossible to withdraw the head therefrom and consequently impossible to discnnect the conducto-r 9 from the timer-distributor.

The presence -o ythe spring 41 previously referred to is for the purpose of providing a surer and more positive contact between the rod 2 and the socket member consisting of the parts 21 and 22, than might otherwise be the case, in order that there may be no unnecesing, the inner end of the tubular member 17A is so positioned with relation to the thimble 5 that access to the rod 2 is rendered impractical.

It will be seen that bymy invention I am enabled to provide mea-ns for connecting one end of a conducting Wire to -a timer-distributor in such manner that subsequent disconnection thereof is rendered impractical and also in such manner that access thereto is rendered practically impossible, whereby protection against theft is afforded and tampering with the ignition circuit of an automobile or the like at or near the point of connection of the conducting wire of the circuit to the timber-distributor is rendered most dif` ficult and altogether impractical.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In means for connecting the ends of electric conductors, the combination of a terminal member mounted upon one end of a conducting wire, said terminal member comprising a tubular member having a socket member mounted therein, a two-part collar mounted in said socket member, the parts'of said collar being movable transversely of the said socket member, a spring extending around said parts and yieldingly holding said parts together, and a terminal member constituting the end of the other conductor' whichis adapted to be inserted into the said socket member andto be inseparably engaged by the said two part collar.

2. Means for connecting one end of a wire conductor to the timer-distributor of the ignition system of an automobile, comprising a tubular member, a lining of insulating mateterial therefor, a socket member mounted within the said lining, said socket4 member including two parts the inner ends of which are overlapped and interlocked in such manner as to provide an annular groove, a multipart collar mounted within the said groove, which parts are adapted to move toward and from each other in a plane extending transversely of the said socket, yielding means surrounding the said collar and tending to draw the parts thereof toward each other, and

a. headed male member mounted upon the said timer-distributor and extending into thesaid socket member and being interlocked with said collar. 5

3. Means for connecting one end of a wire conductor to the timer-distributor of the ignition system of an automobile, comprising a tubular member provided with a laterally extending ferrule, a lining of insulating material within the 'said tubular member, a wire extending through the said ferrule and through openin s in the sides of said terminal member an said lining, the said wire being `protectedby a metal armor which terminates within the said ferrule and `is secured thereto, a socket member mounted within the said lining, means for permanently retaining the said socket ,member and the said lining vwithin the said tubular member, the said socket member including an expansible collar mounted upon theinterior thereof, yielding means tending to hold the said collar against expansion, and a terminal plug `having connection with the said timer-distributor and projecting into thesaid socket member and being in interlocking en gagement with the said' expansible collar.

4. Means for connecting one end of a wire conductor tothe timer-distributor of the igni-A tion system of an automobile, comjprising a tubular member provided with a laterally extending ferrule, a lining of insulating material within the said tubular member, a wire extending through said ferrule and through openings in the sides of said tubular member and said lining, the said wire being protected by a metal armor which termlinates within the said ferrule and is secured thereto, a socket member mounted within the said lining, means for permanently retaining the,

said socket member and the said lining within the said tubular terminal member, the said` socket member including an expansible collar mounted upon the interior thereof, yielding means tending tohold the said collar against 'expansion and a terminalplug having con nection with the said timer-distributor and projecting into the saidsoeket member and being in interlocking engagement with the said expansible collar and a spring in the bottom? of said socket member which spring is in contact with the inner end of the said plug.

5. Means for connecting one end of a conducting wire to the timer-distributor of theignition system of an automobile, comprising a tubular member connected to the end of said conducting Wire, said tubular member including upon its interior an inaccessible, nonremovable expansible collar, yielding means tending to hold thersaid collar in contracted condition, a terminal plug supported upon the interior portion of the said timJer-distributor and projecting outwardly through a -wall thereof, a thimble surrounding the portion of said plug adjoining the said Wall, the said plug being provided with a head portion which when it is inserted into the said tubular member projects through the said collar and is engaged thereby to prevent withdrawal of the said plug from the said tubular member and the tubular member co-operating with the said thimble surrounding the said plug to prevent access to the latter. j In testimony whereof 4I -have signed my name this 2l day of September, A. D. 1927. WILSON HEMINGWAY, JR. 

